1. Technical Field
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a detachable unit that is detachably attached to a body of an image forming apparatus, and the image forming apparatus including the detachable unit.
2. Related Art
These days, users and customers demand a more reduction in size of image forming apparatuses and a higher speed in image processing. In response to these demands, image forming units disposed around a photoconductor are driven at a higher speed. For example, a development device (such as a process cartridge or a development unit) that is detachably attached to an apparatus body of an image forming apparatus includes developer therein. Due to an increase in speed of agitating the developer, an increase in temperature in the process cartridge and/or the development unit tends to be significant. A temperature increase in the process cartridge and/or the development unit repeats melting and coagulation of toner contained in the developer, which is likely to cause image defect such as development failure and white streaks.
To avoid these problems, a drive mechanism of the detachable unit that includes the process cartridge and/or the development unit needs to be cooled. The drive mechanism of the development device is detachably connected via various joints such as couplings with a drive mechanism of the apparatus body of the image forming apparatus that is disposed on a rear side of the apparatus body.
Some techniques for cooling a development device are disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication Nos. JP 2007-219398-A and JP 2012-003059-A, for example, by blowing along an outer surface of a cover of the development device or by introducing and discharging air in a container box that is provided at one end side of the development device.
JP 2007-219398-A has a configuration that includes a fan to supply air for cooling the development device by airflow. A direction of airflow generated by the fan is set to be parallel to a direction in which a supply pipe is connected or disconnected.
JP 2012-003059-A has a configuration that includes a container box having an agitation gear that rotates an agitating member agitating the developer and a development gear that rotates a developing member supplying the developer to an image carrier. The container box includes a fan that has an air inlet and an air outlet.